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ENLARGED 




MALL TALKS 

ON Bridge 



Virginia M« Meyer 




Class _lz_l_aJj 

Book ^-. •>..-^- 

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSn^ 



ENLARGED 

SMALL TALKS ON 
BRIDGE 



VIRGINIA M. MEYER 
TEACHER OF WHIST. BRIDGE AND SKAT 



PUBLISHED BY 

THE RULEDGE PLAYING CARD GO. 

PORT HURON. MICH.. U. S. A. 



c^^^^;^^ 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two CoDies Received 

IAN 13 1909 

Copyri^ut £ntr 



Copyri^ut Entry 
SLaSS CL. AXc. No, 
I COPY 3. 



Copyrighted 19€l8 
By Vieginia M. Meyer 



NOTE 

My talks on Bridge are so simplified that even 
a beginner may readily understand them. While 
learning to play it will be well to follow the rigid 
rules and makes. After that, let experience be your 
teacher. It will not be a kind one (most uncom- 
promising in every way), but it will strengthen the 
knowledge already gained, and each time one plays 
will add a little more. I owe much to my many 
pupils, who have always been a help and inspiration 
to me. The questions they ask, the way in which 
things appeal to them, have oftentimes given me 
ideas and made it possible for me to make it 
clearer to others. V. M. M. 



Small Talks on Bridge 



THE PLAYERS 

Dealer. 

Leader, at dealer's left. 
Dummy — The dealer's partner. 
Pone, at dealer's right. 

CONVERSATION OF THE GAME 

The cards are dealt as for Whist, without a 
trump being turned. The Dealer after looking at 
his hand may name the trump or pass the declara- 
tion to his partner. His partner must make the 
trump if asked to do so. 

The simplest form of doing this is the best, by 
saying: *T make it Hearts," or "I pass." 

The Dealer's partner makes to win; if he cannot 
do this he makes to lose as little as possible. 

The Leader may then double or ask if he may 
play saying only, "I double." or "May I play?" if it 
is the latter. Pone either says "I double," or "You 
may play." 

Should either Leader or Pone double, the origi- 
nal maker of the trump says, "I redouble," or "I 
am satisfied." 

The maker's partner then redoubles or announces 
he, too, is satisfied. 



The conversation of the game should be accu- 
rately learned. Making or doubling out of turn 
is not only most annoying to the careful player, but 
is often expensive, as penalties may be exacted for 
carelessness. 

The play then begins by the Leader playing a 
card, after which the Dummy hand is placed on 
the table and he ceases to have any rights in the 
game, except to call attention to a revoke, or that 
a trick is not complete. 

TABLE OF SCORING 

Thirty points is a game. Two games out of 
three is a rubber. 

For each trick over six — 

Spades count 2 

Clubs count 4 

Diamonds count 6 

Hearts count 8 

No trump counts 12 

Honor score at no trump — 

3 Aces count 30 

4 Aces count 40 

4 Aces in one hand count 100 

Honors declared trump — 

Simple honors twice a trick value. 

4 honors four times a trick value. 

5 honors 5 times a trick value. 

4 honors in one hand eight times a trick value. 

5 honors, 4 in one hand, nine times a trick value. 
5 honors in one hand, ten times a trick value. 
Little Slam, winning twelve tricks, adds 20 points 

to the honor score. 



Grand Slam, winning thirteen tricks, adds 40 
points to the honor score. 

Chicane, a hand without a trump, adds twice a 
trick value to the honor score. 

One hundred points is added to the honor score 
of the pair winning the rubber. 

After each rubber the trick and honor score of 
each pair is added, the lesser total subtracted from 
the greater, and the result will be the number of 
points won. 

ORIGINAL MAKES 
NO TRUMP 

Always with four Aces. 

Always with three Aces unless it is a stronger 
and safer Red Make. 

With one long established suit and a sure card 
of Re-entry. 

With two Aces and a guarded honor in a third 
suit. 

An all around good hand that has five or more 
guarded honors in three suits. 

A good test for a "No Trump" is to take the 
collective value of the hand counting Aces 4, Kings 
3, Queens 2, Knaves i. 

If the result is 15 or more the make up is apt to 
win. If under 15 more help is expected from your 
partner. 

Cards not guarded lose their value and cannot 
be counted. 

A good player will rarely pass a hand if he sees 
four tricks in three suits. 

For the beginner it may be wise to see five. 



The conventional ''No Trump" makes are not the 
ones with the greatest trick winning possibilities. 

A hand with 3 or 4 Aces, and no other strength, 
is not a winning hand unless dummy can render 
much assistance. An all around good hand will 
work out much better. 

When the dealer is in doubt a ''No Trump" dec- 
laration is usually safe, provided he has strentgh in 
three suits. 

If he has one long strong red suit, the Red Make 
is much safer than "No Trump" unless a "No 
Trump" is equally sure. 

When the dealer has passed, if dummy is in 
doubt, a spade declaration is the safe one. A 
strong suit will not leave him in doubt so he may 
safely declare that suit. 

Dummy should very rarely declare "No Trump" 
without at least one Ace some strength in Hearts, 
and 5 tricks in sight. 

Three small Hearts means protection in Hearts, 
for it is not likely that there is a long suit in 
Hearts with the opponents. 

A Borderland or weak "No Trump" is not safe 
in the hands of a novice and until experience has 
taught him how to manage such, it will be wiser 
not to attempt weak hands. 

HEART MAKES 

Six with one honor. 
Five with three honors. 

Five with two honors and one outside trick. 
Four if they are all honors. 

With 6 Hearts without an honor and an abso- 
lutely worthless hand it may be made Hearts under 

8 



the defensive Heart rule, afraid to pass fearing 
your partner may try a weak "No Trump" or even 
a fairly strong Diamond that would be a loser, as 
you could afford no assistance, while with your 6 
weak Hearts and some assistance from him you 
could make i or 2 on Hearts. 

It only takes i more trick to win game in Hearts 
than "No Trump.'' 



DIAMOND MAKES 

Six with three honors. 

Five with three honors and an outside trick. 

Four if they are all honors. 

Four card Red Makes are destined to lose with- 
out outside tricks. 

In such case "No Trump" is the better make. 

One so often hears, "Diamonds are so unlucky." 
This is an error. It is no harder to win tricks with 
Diamonds for trumps, but it does take i more to 
win a game; while 4 tricks can easily be won with 
a good hand, the 5th is not so easy. 

There are 3 good reasons for making it Dia- 
monds : — 

1. A hand so long and strong it would be folly 
to pass it; 

2. With 4 or more honors in one hand; 

3. That your hand is such, if you pass it, the in- 
dications are your partner would have to make it 
black. From your hand, the probabilities are he 
cannot make it "No Trump" or Hearts. One is 
justified in making a comparatively weak Diamond 
under such circumstances, not otherwise. It would 
be folly to make Diamonds, with long weak Dia- 

9 



monds and an otherwise worthless hand. It would 
mean your partner must have the winning hand. 
If he has, give him a chance to make better use of 
it. 

With 9 or lo read cards make it if you possibly 
can as the majority of your partner's cards must be 
black. 

BLACK MAKES 

There is no excuse for an Original Black Make 
unless you see the winning of the game in your own 
hand. 

With 9 or lo red cards in your hand make it if 
you possibly can, for the majority of your partner's 
cards must be black. 

There is much talk about the defensive or shield 
spade make. It is an unsafe weapon to put in the 
hands of any but an expert. Equally good players 
are for and against it. The spade declaration by 
the dealer announces a worthless hand. The op- 
ponents know this, see every weakness in the 
dummy hand and are in the position to make suc- 
cessful finesses on both sides. Yarborough does 
not come so often that one cannot take a chance on 
partner having a good hand and at least you have 
not advertised poverty. 

The argument in its favor is dummy may make 
it on a rather weaker hand than heretofore. Does 
this offset the information the weak Spade Make 
gives ? 

Clubs should be declared at any time when one 
can see a possibility of gain. 

Some players advocate the defensive Club Make. 
If you have a long weak suit of Clubs, your partner 

10 



may have another long suit to offset it. The result 
is not so bad after all, even if it is a spade. For, 
if your opponents double, he may be able to re- 
double and you have a trick the value of hearts. 

A TEST FOR A TRUMP MAKE 

Add your trumps, your honors in trumps and 
out-side tricks. 

If the result is more than 8 the make is a sound 
one. 

If exactly 8 the chances are still in your favor. 

If less than 8 the make usually fails to win. 

Charles Stuart Street. 

The above rule is an excellent one for doubling. 
If the maker is at your right, double if you can 
count 8, for his hand is sacrificed to yours. . If he 
is at the left, it should count to 9 as your hand is 
sacrificed to his. To re-double let your hand count 
9 or 10 according to the position of the maker. 

PASSED MAKES 

The Dummy should remember his hand must be 
stronger than that of the Dealer to declare "No 
Trump" or "Hearts" as the dealer has declares 
weakness in these Makes by passing. 

The Dealer may have passed with a fair Diamond 
hand, and is more than likely to be strong in at 
least one of the black suits. 

Dummy should not declare "No Trump" unless 
he has at least one ace and some protection in 
Hearts. 

Five tricks is a safe "No Trump" for even a 
beginner. 

11 



A weak "No Trump*' is preferable to a weak Red 
Make. 

If the hand is worth less than four tricks make 
to lose as little as possible. 

If a hand is practically worthless a Spade Make 
is the proper thing. 

DOUBLING 

Do not double just to see what will happen. It 
does not pay and makes your partner ill-natured. 

Doubling and re-doubling doubles, quadruples 
and so on each trick. 

A trick cannot count more than lOO. 

Passed Spade Makes can be doubled on either 
suit or trump strength by the leader. 

Pone must have some trump strength. 

If he is short in trumps they are marked with 

the Dealer or Dummy. 

Double Spades with four tricks. 

Five tricks and a possible sixth should be seen to 
double Hearts, Diamonds or Clubs. 

Six tricks should be seen to double "No Trump.'" 

If the Leader doubles "No Trump" he knows his 
hand and plays accordingly. 

If Pone doubles "No Trump" the Leader plays 
a Heart, leading the highest of three or less, or 
the fourth best of four or more. 

This convention has been generally adopted and 
unless Pone can meet a Heart lead he should not 
double. 

There is also the weak suit convention. The 
Leader will play the top card from his shortest or 
weakest suit. 

12 



Before beginning to play find out which conven- 
tion is used. 

To Re-double, a hand must be very strong. 

Do not double when ahead on the score, unless 
it is a sure thing. 

If Pone doubles a Passed Make of Hearts, Dia- 
monds or Clubs, the Leader will play a trump, 
leading the highest of three or less, or the lowest 
of four. 

If Pone doubles an Original Make do not lead 
the trump unless you can lead an honor. 

If Pone doubles a Passed Make of Spades, the 
Leader will win the first trick if possible and then 
be guided by the Dummy hand. 

If the Leader cannot win the first trick he will 
lead a trump. 

DECLARED TRUMP LEADS 

The King is led from any combination that has 
Ace or Queen and may have both. Follow with 
the next lowest card that will win the trick. 

The Queen is led from Queen, Knave, Ten, with 
or without others. 

Ten from Ten, Knave, King, with or without 
others. 

Knave shows the HIGHEST card in the suit, and 
is usually a short one. 

THE ACE LEAD AT DECLARED TRUMPS 

An Ace as an initial lead does not indicate it is 
Leaders long suit. It is only to hold the first trick 
till the Dummy hand is seen, and judgment must 
be used what to do next. 

13 



Remember the leader is entitled to the first lead. 
Let him pay the price for it by holding first trick 
(at declared trumps). Take a look at the Dummy's 
hand, make best use of information gained from it 
and you will win tricks at Bridge. At "No Trump" 
the leader shows his strong suit by opening it. If 
it is so long he can continue it, his partner will be 
able to discard once or twice from one or two weak 
suits, and from that you should be able to infer 
what his strong suit is. The discard is a much 
argued subject, has strong advocates on both sides. 

Lead the King to win the first trick if you have 
the Ace also (with others). 
Ace followed by King shows no more, 

THE NON-DEALERS PLAY AGAINST A 
DECLARED TRUMP 

Lead to win the trick, if possible. Often the 
entire scheme of play is changed after seeing the 
Dummy hand. 

As soon as the Dealer sees the Dummy hand he 
knows all the cards that are against him, and it 
makes little difference to him which opponent has 
them. 

Partners by leads and signals must try to give 
each other as much information as the Dealer 
already Aas. 

Remember, the trumps are declared against you, 
and a long suit is rarely brought in by the Non- 
Dealer. 

If the Dealer does not lead trumps he does not 
want them led, as the suit cards are against him. 
In such a case the adversaries should lead them. 

14 



If the Dealer attacks the trump suit stop the lead 
at once and make all suit tricks possible. 

Against aggressive Red Makes, win tricks early 
in the game. 

SECOND-HAND PLAYS 

Cover an HONOR with an HONOR. If you 
hold three or less, you may win the trick or make 
good an intermediate card in your partner's hand. 

Always cover the card led if you hold a perfect 
or imperfect Fourchette. Holding two or more 
Honors in sequence, play the lowest. 

If the Dummy can cover any card you play, play 
low, unless it is to cover an Honor already led with 
an Honor to draw another that is in the Dummy 
hand. 

Usually beat the Dummy with any card but the 
Ace. It may save high cards in your partner's 
hand.. 

Holding King and small card in the Dummy hand 
and no support in your own hand, play King. It 
is King "now or never." 

This applies to "No Trump." 

"Keep off" declared trump on low card led. 

THIRD HAND PLAY 

Play your highest card if trying to win the 
trick, unless you hold cards in sequence, then win 
as cheaply as possible. 

Do not finesse your partner's suit. The cards 
that are not in your hand or Dummy's must be in 
the Dealer's of your partner's. 

Do not deceive your partner. Being accurate is 
the only way you have of giving information. 

15 



In returning your partner's lead at Declared 
Trump /ead the highest of three or less, or lowest 
of four, always counting from the original holding. 

The Dealer will do enough to keep you guessing 
and make it hard for you, gaining all he can from 
your leads, plays and discards. In return he will 
false-card and convey all the wrong information 
possible, but in spite of all this be honest with your 
partner. It is your only redress. 

THE RULE OF ELEVEN 

Deduct the face value of the card led from 
Eleven and the result will be the number of cards 
not in the leader's hand higher than the card led. 

By applying the rule of Eleven at Declared 
Trump it is often easy to detect the lead of a single- 
ton or short suit. 

THE ECHO 

The Echo in Bridge is made by playing first a 
high and then a low card to show you can trump 
the third round of the suit. 

At ''No Trump" it shows the commanding card 
of the suit. 

Some players use this to mean "Change the suit." 

TWO-CARD SUITS 

ALL two-card suits are opened from the top. 
Eception — Avoid opening from King and low card, 
but if opened at all lead the King. 

Two-card suits are usually led as supporting 
cards, or hoping to ruff the third round. 

16 



OPENING OF THREE-CARD SUITS 

A three-card suit, headed by Ace, King or Queen, 
is opened low. 

A three-card suit, headed by a Knave or lower, 
is opened from the top. 

A three-card suit with two cards in sequence is 
opened from the top. Exception: Ace, King and 
Low, lead King. 

FOUR CARD SUITS 

From a suit of four, headed by only one honor 
open low unless that honor be the Ace — then lead 
the Ace. 

Four cards with two honors not in sequence, lead 
low. 

Always lead ace from four or more unless you 
also hold the King, then lead the King. 

NON-DEALER^S PLAY AT **NO TRUMP'' 

All four-card suits are opened low, unless there 
are three Honors in sequence. 

All suits containing two Honors are opened low. 

Suits of five or more having three Honors are 
usually opened with an Honor. 

Unfortunately the books differ as to "No Trump" 
leads. The ones given below are used by most 
players, and are identiacl with trump leads in Whist 
by R. F. Foster. 

Ace from — 

Ace, King and five others. 

Ace, Queen, Knave and others. 

Ace, King, Knave and others. 

17 



King from four-card suit, with three or four in 
sequence. 

Queen from — 

Queen, King, Ace and others. 
Queen, Knave, Ten and others. 

Knave from — 

Knave, Queen, King and others. 
Ten from — 

Ten, Knave, King and others. 

ELWELL LEADS AT NO TRUMPS 

Ace from — 

Ace Queen, Knave and others, with a card of re- 
entry. 

Ace and sevven or more others. 

Ace, Queen, with five others. 

Ace, Knave, with five others. 
King from — 

Ace, King, Queen and others. 

Ace, King, Knave and others. 

Ace, King, Ten and three others. 

Ace, King and five others. 

King, Queen, Knave and others. 

King, Queen, Ten and others. 

King, Queen and five others. 
Queen from — 

Queen, Knave, Ten and others. 

Queen, Knave, Nine and others. 

Ace, Queen, Knave and others with no re-entry 
card. 
Knave from — 

Knave, Ten, Nine and others. 

When your partner opens from any high card 

18 



combination, show him the highest card you have 
of the suit, with three or less. With four cards 
hold the lowest card till the last round. 

Unblocking at "No Trump" is one of the most 
important features at Bridge. Failure to do so 
often results in the loss of several tricks. 

Unblocking is getting rid of all your high cards 
that your partner may make his low ones. This is 
the most intricate and interesting part of Bridge. 
Only experience will teach the strategy of this part 
of the game. 

In returning your partner's lead at "No Trump" 
with four or less give him the best you have. By 
this he can judge from the cards in his own and the 
Dummy hand what the dealer holds in the suit. 

If you hold five or more of your partner's suit, 
return your original fourth best. 

Keep the commanding card of your adversary's 
suit until the leader's partner has no more of the 
suit. 

The beginner is too prone to take the first trick 
in sight, but notice how many tricks are won if 
you have the courage to hold up the winning card 
for a round or two. 

Do not be in a hurry to play out your Aces at 
"No Trump." 

Establish your weak suits, keeping your high 
cards for re-entries. 

DISCARDS 

Opinions as to discard differ. The majority of 
players discard from the suit they do not want led 
at "No Trump" and the suit they do want at 
Declared Trump. 

19 



Some players always discard from strength, 
others always from weakness. Acquaintance with 
the game will influence you as to the one best to 
adopt. 

In discarding do not unguard an honor, blank an 
Ace or discard a singleton. 

In many cases it does not matter what you dis- 
card, you have neither strength nor weakness to 
show. Surely in such a case the weak or protective 
discard is the best one. 

Often any discard is lost, for after a time a 
player will ruefully say, ^'I forgot to look at your 
discard." This is the case too often. Often this 
hand has no more trick taking qualities for a De- 
clared Trump than it would for ''No Trump." 

The discard of an Ace shows entire command 
of the suit. The discard of a high and then a low 
card of the same suit shows command of the suit. 

FORCING 

Force the hand strong in trumps. 

Do not allow the weak hand to make a trump. 

Do not lead a suit that one hand can trump and 
the other discard. 

Proper forcing will ruin a trump hand. 

When the weak hand can ruff your suit it is well 
to lead trumps. 

THE DEALER'S PLAY 

Take advantage of all information given by the 

adversaries. 

Play to the score. 

If you cannot win the game, at least try to save 
it. 



Lead from the weak hand to the strong. 

Let the short hand help the long. 

With high cards in the Dummy hand lead a sup- 
porting card from your own hand, hoping to find 
the high card in second hand. 

Be careful not to block your suit. Remember, 
the lead must always be left in the hand with the 
long suit. 

At *'No T^ump" always begin to play for your 
LONGEST suit, cven though it is not your strongest. 

READY REFERENCE HINTS 

Beware of the four-card Red Makes unless they 
are all honors. Exception : Four with Ace, King, 
Queen and one outside trick. 

Do not finesse in your partner's suit. 

Do not fail to help your partner establish his 
suit at "No Trumps," The only excuse for not 
doing so is having one longer and very strong of 
your own. 

Lead through strength at your left, and up to 
weakness on your right. 
on your right. 

Leading up to strength your partner will read 
you short in the suit. 

Remember your partner has not passed with four 
tricks in his hands. You can anly rely on him for 
two tricks and a possible third. 

Never spoil a sure Red Make with honors for a 
doubtful "No Trump.'' 

When the Dealer leads trumps, stop it at once 
and make every possible trick. 

If the Dealer does not lead trumps the oppo- 

21 



nents should. As the Dealer wishes to establish a 
ruff, therefore exhaust his trumps. 

When the Dealer leads a high card toward a high 
card he intends finessing. Second hand must then 
cover with any higher card except the Ace. 

Avoid leading up to a tenace. 

When your partner abandons his suit at "No 
Trump," it may be for one of several reasons : 

1. That he wishes it led to him instead of con- 
tiiiing it himself; 

2. It was only a forced lead and he has nothing 
in the suit; 

3. That he has no re-entry card or hope of 
bringing in his suit; 

4. If he perists in clearing his suit he shows re- 
entries in other suits or that he expects to bring 
it in. 

There are several reasons for not returning your 
partner's lead at "No Trump." 

1. If you have a long strong suit of your own 
that has more possibilities; 

2. That the suit is not your partner's but the 
Dummy's ; 

3. That you can better assist him by letting him 
lead it again through the Dummy. 

There are some justifiable finesses at "No 
Trump." With the Queen in the Dummy hand, a 
finesse is almost obligatory. If a trick must win 
in your own or partner's suit, let it win at once, or 
the Queen will block it on the third round. 

If a finesse can be taken on either the first or 
second round, take it on the second, as you can 
better judge from the six cards already played 
whether or not to take it. 

22 



With a King in the Dummy on your left and no 
honors in your own hand lead through it hoping 
your partner can "kill" the King. 

Do not invite a "ruff.l' With four good trumps 
you may do more damage with them in some other 
way — after the Dummy hand goes on the table. 

PLAYING TO THE SCORE 

Do not plunge when ahead on the game, and one 
or two tricks in a sure Make will wind game.' 

Play a defensive game when ahead on the score. 

Be aggressive when behind on the score. 

Always play to the score. 

One cannot become too well acquainted with this 
part of Bridge. It wins many games. 

Do not declare a doubtful "No Trump" if a trump 
declaration will win the game. 

Never declare until you know how many points it 
will take to win the game. 

If you cannot win the game SAVE IT. 

BRIDGE ESSENTIALS 

All things are important in the learning of bridge. 
The most important of all — 

I. Try to be a good maker. Use judgment. Do 
not make a hand until you have thought what as- 
sistance your partner may render or whether by 
passing he may be able to do something better than 
you can do. If there are two chances of this, give 
him the opportunity. If he must do worse than 
you do, make it on your own hand. 

After the make has been passed, dummy must con- 
sider what his partner did not have and be guided 
accordingly. 

23 



2. The leader by his opening lead should give his 
partner as much information as possible. 

In "No Trump" this is easy. He shows the suit 
in which he has the greatest length if not the great- 
est strength. There is practically only one exception 
to this : If his partner has doubled, he must either 
lead a heart (according to the number held) or from 
the top of his weakest suit, whichever may be the 
convention of the club. 

At declared trump, his opening lead will show the 
general strength of his hand. The lead of an ace 
means nothing. It is the card with which he fol- 
lows that is the keynote to his hand. 

The lead of a king or other high card shows a 
strong suit (unless it indicates a short suit). 

The lead of an intermediate high card is apt to 
be the top of a short suit, led for the purpose of 
using otherwise worthless trumps for ruffing. 

The lead of a low card shows an indifferent 
hand. 

THE RULE OF ELEVEN 

This is one of the most important rules in bridge. 
At *'No Trump," it will allow you to practically 
place the whole suit. At declared trump, it shows 
almost at once whether a suit is long or short. 

There should not be one trick played from which 
you do not store away some information. It is 
much easier to do this at the playing of each trick 
than after 8, 9 or 10 tricks have been played to 
helplessly wonder what has happened. 

Remember the dealer knows every card that is 
against him. It makes little difference to him 
whether they are with his right or left hand ad- 

24 



versary. The opponents also know the cards that 
are against them, but unfortunately they do not 
know whether they are with partner or dealer. They 
can give to each other the information the dealer 
already has, and two can make better use of it than 
one. 

While a good memory means much in bridge, 
good judgment means much more. In using one, 
you will necessarily strengthen the other. 

Do not give information by any mannerisms. This 
is not only bad form, but on the borderland of giving 
information as to the holding of one's cards. 

DUPLICATE BRIDGE TO THE SCORE 

We are indebted to L. J. Bruck of New York for 
the introduction of the most interesting and most 
helpful form of Bridge that has been given us — 
Duplicate Bridge to the score. The duplicate game 
has been played for years. As games and rubbers 
were not scored, declarations to the score were not 
considered. Often declarations were made for the 
honor score or anything was done that meant high 
score. By Mr. Bruck's excellent new system, not 
only games and rubbers are scored, but unfinished 
games and rubbers have a scoring value that gives 
an incentive to play for all there is in it until the 
drop of the last card. It has given new life to 
Bridge. It opens the way to strengthening one's 
playing as no other method can. Much of the play- 
ing is for the pleasure of the game, but best of all 
this can be for mutual improvement as well. 

Twelve hands well and thoughtfully played are 
more beneficial than fifty played in a hurry and for 
the sake of winning. Play the cards the best you 

25 



know how, and the winning will take care of itself. 
Any schedule used for duplicate whist may be used 
for this game, moving the players and boards ac- 
cording to the number of tables and schedule. 

RULES OF THE GAME 

Four boards are played at each table. Boards on 
the multiple of 5 are not used. Play 4 boards, mov- 
ing players toward the foot table boards toward 
the head table, or according to the schedule used. 

Score as for ordinary Bridge, except that there 
is a rubber bonus added. Play exactly as if games 
and rubbers were being played. 

When the first game is over, 50 points are put in 
the rubber bonus space. When the second game is 
won, 50 points are again put in this space, no mat- 
ter which pair wins it. When each pair has won a 
game and has 50 points, 100 points are added. The 
50 points for each pair may or may not be elimi- 
nated, according to the rule adopted by the club. 

If each pair has won a game, and rubber is not 
finished, multiply the points over in the trick column 
by 3 and add to the rubber bonus column. 

If a rubber has not been made, but either pair has 
I, 2 or 3 games to his credit, the unfinished game is 
scored by multiplying the points made on it 1V2. 
By this method it will be seen that players are 
credited with all that is due them. 

As in the duplicate Whist games, the north pair 
is responsible for the boards being correct. They 
must be played in rotation, otherwise the declaring 
to the score be useless. Regular score boards with 
the system of scoring so clearly defined that it can- 
not be mistaken, are used. After playing two or 

26 



three times things will run smoothly and true en- 
joyment had, with an incentive as well, to play bet- 
ter Bridge. 

PROGRESSIVE BRIDGE 

Play 4 Hands — Pair having high scores will prog- 
ress. Tricks are scored in one column, honors in 
another. If prizes are given, the fairest way is to 
give one or more for the players having the great- 
est number of points, one or more for players having 
highest honor score. 

Prizes may also be given for player having the 
greatest number of Grand or Llittle Slams, another 
for having the greatest number of Chicanes. 

DEHNITIONS 

Block — To hold up a card that will stop a suit. 
This should be done against an adversary. Do not 
block your partner's suit. 

Clearing Suit — To persist in establishing a suit. 

Cross Ruff — Partners each trumping a suit. 

Ducking — Refusing to win a trick when able to 
do so. 

Echo — Playing first a high and then a low card to 
show you can trump the next round or have the 
winning card in the suit. 

Establish — To force out high cards in your suit 
to get the control of it. 

Established Suit — Holding Ace, King, Queen of 
suit with others. 

Finesse — Trying to make a low card win when 
when you could play a better one. 

Fourchette—Holding a card above and below the 
one led. 

27 



Force — To play a card that will win the trick or 
force the adversary to trump. 

Fourth Best — The fourth best of a suit, beginning 
from the top. 

Guarded Honors — High cards protected by smaller 
ones, as the King and One, Queen and Two, Knave 
and Three. 

Hold Up — Refusing to play the best card of a 
suit. 

Do not hold up the best card of your partner's 
suit. 

Lead Through Strength — To lead a suit when the 
player at your left holds high cards. 

Lead Up to Weakness — Leading a suit in which 
fourth hand has no strength. 

Major Tenace — Holding Ace and Queen of a suit 
with the King missing. 

Minor Tenace — Holding King and Knave of a suit 
with the Ace and Queen missing. 

Passed Make — Declaration by the Dummy. 

Quitted — After a trick has been turned. 

Ruff — To trump a trick. 

Re-entry Cards — Cards that will enable you to 
regain the lead. Usually applied to cards in some 
suit other than your long one. 

Revoke — To play a card of another suit when you 
hold one of the suit led. 

Sequence — Cards following each other in value. 

Short Suit — Suit of 3 cards or less. 

Strengthening Card — Medium high card led in the 
hope that it may strengthen your partner's suit. 

Yarborough — Hand that holds no card higher 
than the Nine. 

28 



FROM "BRIDGE" 

The new code of laws gives the following rights 
to dummy after he has placed his cards upon the 
table. Until he has so placed them he has all the 
rights of a player. 

A. To ask the dealer whether he has any of a 
suit which he may have renounced. 

B. To call the dealer's attention to the fact that 
too many or too few cards have been played to a 
trick. 

C. To correct the claim of either adversary to a 
penalty to which the latter is not entitled. 

D. To call attention to the fact that a trick has 
been erroneously taken by either side. 

E. To participate in the discussion of any dis- 
puted question of fact after it has arisen between 
the dealer and either adversary. 

F. To correct an erroneous score. 

In the paragraphs in this section which deal with 
the play of dummy's cards by the dealer the follow- 
ing has been added: "If he simultaneously touch 
two or more such cards (this clause refers to 
dummy's cards), he may elect which one to play." 

General Rtiles 

One important change has been made in this por- 
tion of the code. The old Whist Club laws forbade 
the dealer's adversaries calling their partner's at- 
tention to the fact that he was about to play or 
lead out of turn. The new code of laws especially 
permits either of the dealer's adversaries to call his 
partner's atention to the fact that he is about to play 
or lead out of turn. 

29 



Undoubled Spade 

The new code says that an undoubled spade dec- 
laration is not played unless the dealer's score is 
twenty-four or over. When the spade declaration 
is not played the dealer's side counts two for tricks 
and four for honors. 

The present code of laws includes the old para- 
graph reading: "Should the third hand player 
double before his partner asks permission to play, 
the spade declarer may decide whether the double 
shall stand, but the deal must be played out." The 
new code, however, omits the clause which governs 
when the third hand asks, "Shall I play?" or leads 
out of turn and when the eldest hands leads without 
asking permission to play. 

Etiquette 

The following clauses have been added to the sec- 
tion dealing with the etiquette of Bridge: 

"If the dealer says, T have the rest,' or any words 
indicating the remaining tricks are his and one or 
both of the other players should expose his or her 
cards, or request the dealer to play out his hand, he 
should not allow any information so obtained to 
influence his play nor take any finesse not an- 
nounced by him at the time of making such claim 
unless it had previously proven to be a winner." 

"If a player abandon his hand and concede in error 
one or more of the remaining tricks, the concession 
should stand." 



30 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



31 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



32 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



33 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



34 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



35 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



BRIDGE NOTES, 



37 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



38 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



39 



BRIDGE NOTES. 



40 



BRIDGEO 020 237 425 6 





WHEN THE 

FOLLOWING 

SUITS ARE 

TRUMPS 






4k 


4b 


♦ 


t 


O 


EACH TRICK ABOVE 

SIX COUNTS ....<.•..••. 


2 

4 


4 
8 


6 
12 


S 


12 


CHICANE COUNTS ........... 





NO TRUMP HONORS 

THREE ACES.......... ...35 

FOUR ACES .........40 

FOUR ACES IN ONE HAN0 ...................100 

DECLARED TRUMP HONORS 



THREE HONORS .....TWICE A 

FOUR HONORS cFOUR TIMES A 

FIVE HONORS....... ...FIVE TIMES A 

FOUR HONORS IN ONE 

HAND.. ............ .....EIGHT TIMES A 

FIVE HONORS FOUR IN 

ONE HAND. ........NINE TIMES A 

FIVE HONORS IN ONE 

HAND TEN TIMES A 



LITTLE SLAM COUNTS 
GRAND SLAM COUNTS.. 



TRICK 
TRICK 
TRICK 

TRICK 

TRICK 

TRICK 
20 



40 



